Hypocrites!

Photo by: papaija2008

hypocrite 1. A person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion

2. A person who acts in contradiction to his or her 

stated belief or feelings*

Read one of the most curious passages in the Word of God:

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye. Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. . . . Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them (Matthew 7:3-8, 15-20).

The beam and the mote—a supporting beam and a dried up twig or chaff.** The hypocrite sees the little twig in someone else’s eye but misses the huge, heavy house-supporting beam in his own.

Wolves in sheep’s clothing, false prophets, grapes growing on thorns, and figs on thistles.

All hypocrites!

I recently saw a poster being circulated on social media. It says, “Not going to church because of the hypocrites is like not going to the gym because of out of shape people.”

Do you know any hypocrites? Everyone does. People aren’t what they profess. They don’t keep their promises. They schmooze with you, and behind your back, they say nasty things. They are like corrupt trees with evil fruit.

And here we are, pots calling the kettles black.

We are hypocrites, too.

Oh, maybe we aren’t “beam hypocrites.” But we’re all guilty of saying one thing and doing another. We’ve all been unkind. The Bible says, For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body (James 3:2).

Maybe we’re not really bad people, wolves in sheep’s clothing. We are only showing a “sheep face.” We walk into church on Sunday in nice clothes, a smile on our faces, when inwardly we are needy. We know we have attitude problems, or bitterness, or that we’re not trusting the Lord. But we walk in and sit down and smile, head held high, as if we were the most spiritual person there.

I know a person who can give the most glowing testimonies. But his family knows they are merely words—words that give a different picture than the reality at home.

How can we be good trees that bring forth good fruit? We need to stay close to God. We need to consistently read and study the Bible and be in open communication with Him all day, every day. We need to confess our sins to God. Keep a clean slate (1 John 1:9).

We can also be more transparent. I’m not saying that we openly tell everyone about our own private bad attitudes and issues, but we should be open about letting others know that we struggle, too. We can be more real.

We won’t become sinless ever—until heaven, when Jesus gives us a new body and completely takes away our sinful nature. But we can become much less hypocritical—more honest, kind, and more understanding towards those who struggle.

God help us to walk with Him!

Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another,

love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous (1 Peter 3:8).

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*Merriam-Webster Dictionary

**Online Bible